


The Five Times

by littlepurplepanda



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Drunk Touchy Boys, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-28
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-07-03 13:39:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15819987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlepurplepanda/pseuds/littlepurplepanda
Summary: The five moments that Ryan crosses the boundaries between him and Shane





	The Five Times

    The first time it happened, Shane was only partially surprised. Ryan was a bit of a lightweight, which Shane figured out after a few times of them drinking together. Ryan was also a bit more touchy when he was drunk, putting a hand on friend’s shoulders and squeezing them when he was excited or leaning a bit into someone when talking to them. So when Ryan first became a little more than friendly with Shane it didn’t surprise him. They were sitting together, celebrating another video finished at Unsolved. It was a weekday, so the bar wasn’t crowded. After TJ, Mark and Devon slowly left for the night it was just Shane and Ryan. The boys had been laughing all night, and it seemed there was some sort joke or mockery after every sip or so. Shane felt happy and warm, not only because of the drinks he’d had but also because Ryan was almost pressed against Shane’s side. When Shane finally turned, Ryan didn’t back away, just continuing to smile and laugh. Shane figured the shorter guy didn’t realize how close he was, and Shane didn’t either, not that he minded it now. It was only when Ryan’s hand went to his waist that Shane realized this was a little more than what he expected, but he just smiled in reply. The hand eventually left after about thirty seconds, and that was that.

* * *

 

   The second time it happened it was more of a surprise to Shane. Shane knew that Ryan was the frat-boy type, not that he was spiteful or even homophobic, but rather it had been subconsciously ingrained in him to watch his boundaries. Ryan was taught that he’s supposed to act one way with men and another way with women.

   Shane wasn’t like that. He didn’t really get why people were like that. Shane never really made an announcement on his views but he figured it was near common sense to be open to people. Platonically, romantically, etc. And when they weren’t he tried to teach them to be open about it. Hell, he even made a video talking about a bunch of queer men dressed in leather for a contest, and made sure to put in an optimistic and inspirational light, as well as informative.

 

    So Shane often tried to quietly push the boundaries enough between him and Ryan. A few playful shoulder grabs here and there, some heteronormative stomping comments there. He could see that it made Ryan laugh but also take a moment inside and pause. Shane could see that he was slowly making progress, Ryan no longer making a defensive comment about anything that could be seen as other than “heteronormative bullshit” (as they called it) between them.

 

    But it still surprised Shane when he sobered up for moment long enough to wonder if there was something more between them than what Sober Ryan made it seem. Shane realized that night that Ryan Bergara was close to him, very close to him. His eyes shined brightly at Shane and he looked ready to say something, or rather, do something. And honestly Shane wanted it to happen, but it didn’t. At the last second Ryan turned his head away. Both of them stood there for a moment, wondering what to do, and kind of disappointed at the botched kiss. Ryan leaned over and grabbed Shane’s phone, as if trying to play it off like this had been what he’d been going for all along.

 

   “Can I borrow your phone? My phone just died and I think I’m going to call a cab. I feel pretty drunk right now.” He told Shane quietly, trying to lighten up his voice and put a silly spin on the situation.

 

As he stepped back and tapped on Shane’s phone, Shane couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Ryan was lying; Shane had just seen him on his own phone before and it still had been on about thirty percent. They’d been in the middle of a conversation, teasing each other about who has a sillier fear, bears or heroin.

 

     “I think you have a more stupid fear, Ryan.” Shane said, his eyes not leaving him.

 

Ryan blinked at him as he put the phone down, the mood now shifted between them. They both knew they weren’t talking about Ryan’s fear of bears now.

 

   “Yeah, maybe.” The man muttered quietly.

* * *

 

     The third time was very far after the second time of boundary crossing between them. A few months at least. And it seemed to surprise Ryan more than it did Shane. Shane was expecting it, waiting for it, wanting it maybe. They were been at Ryan’s apartment, so maybe that played into a factor since he seemed more comfortable with Shane. It was first a hand on the waist, then a peck on the lips. But it was over so quickly that Shane didn’t have time to kiss back, or react really. Ryan was easily distracted when he was drunk, so he moved on quickly and neither mentioned it after that, and it was really the only intimate moment they’d had that night. Shane wondered if it had even really happened, or it was just one of those things he liked to imagine once in a while.

In the morning, since crashing at the other’s apartment weren’t taboo for them, Ryan walked out from his bedroom. When he saw Shane on his couch (which had been Shane’s bed for the night) the smaller man looked a little surprised to see him there.

 

“Movie night got kind of wild didn’t it?” Shane commented after they said their good mornings, adding a laugh after it.

 

It hadn’t, not really. Just saw some drinks and a one sided kiss, and that was it. But he knew from the last time things had gotten this “wild” that he shouldn’t press Ryan any further than he wanted to go.

 

Ryan hesitated, then looked up at him from getting his coffee.

 

“I don’t know. I don’t really remember what happened.” He said a little too confidently.

 

Shane nodded, but inside he felt the same disappointment he had felt before that one night of their almost kiss. He figured Ryan would put up some sort of wall, and it wasn’t the right time for Shane to tear it down. He wouldn’t push it, this time at least. This was a lot more for both of them than just breaking heteronormative bullshit.

* * *

 

     The fourth time it had happened, Shane had been wanting it for a long time and looking for it every chance he got. He would never do anything to suggest another moment of intimacy, though he really wanted to.

 

    It was another night of drinking and laughing, like it always seemed. But there was more laughing than drinking. Shane made sure he only had one beer because they had work the next day, a long one it seemed. They had spent the majority of the night in a corner booth near the back of the bar, since they were both pretty aware that their laughs and wheezes were loud and they did plenty of it. Ryan had just compiled his finished folder of the next supposedly haunted place they were going to explore. He was excited about this one and wanted to share it, but also because the place was a huge hospital and only had a few safe places they could go, so he’d mapped out their route for them. Surprisingly, Ryan had slipped next to Shane, probably too excited to have a second thought. They sat and talked and looked over the file. It had been a good night so far, even though Shane extremely doubted this place was haunted, it had been a good night.

 

    Probably because all of the damn touching. The bench was just small enough that they had to sit close together. Ryan hasn’t even finished his drink yet, but there was still plenty of excited arm grabbing, fingers brushing, and shoulders rubbing. Their legs had been touching for the past hour, and Shane had accidentally put his hand on Ryan’s outer thigh at one point, though moved it once he realized.

 

     Shane was catching himself staring at Ryan more and more. It was hard to pay attention sometimes. Shane was hoping for something to happen, another kiss to be exact.

 

   And finally it did.

 

    It wasn’t as quick as last time. No, it was slow but soft, and Shane was able to kiss back this time. Shane moved his hand to Ryan’s underneath the table and linked fingers. The wall had been torn down, for now at least.

 

  When it was over, Shane didn’t move his hand, but Ryan did.

 

  “Oh fuck. I-I’m sorry. I must be drunk.” The smaller man stammered, blinking a few times.

 

  “You aren’t.” Shane said, the disappointment filling his heart again. “Not this time.”

 

   Ryan started packing up the Unsolved file, muttering under his breath.

 

  “Ryan! Just stay this time!” Shane huffed. “It’s okay. We can work this out. It’s fine.”

 

  Ryan looked at him with a worried look, his eyes wide and apologetic.

 

  “It’s not. I can’t stay because...I might do it again.”

 

  And then he was gone.

* * *

 

  The fifth and final time it happened was a few days after the fourth time of boundary crossing. On camera and in front of people they were their usual witty selves, but when they were alone Ryan couldn’t even meet his eye. It wasn’t until they were both exploring the “haunted” hospital that he could finally look at Shane off camera. He was shaking and his eyes wide, his excitement for the hospital completely gone.

 

   “Shane,” he said quietly. “Can I crash at your place once we get back?”

 

   Of course Shane said yes.

 

  When they got to his place Shane didn’t offer any drinks except for soda. They watched a few movies to calm Ryan down from their latest exploration like they always did, but sat a few feet apart this time. It wasn’t until their third movie was over that Ryan slid a little closer to him, still looking at his soda rather than at Shane.

 

  “I’m really sorry Shane.” He sighed.

 

  “Don’t be.” Shane replied. He was hopeful, but wanted to give the smaller man his space.

 

  “I just...” Ryan finally looked over at him, but still didn’t meet Shane’s eyes. “I really like you. And sometimes I don’t know what to do about it. I never thought.....” His eyes flickered to Shane’s and then away again. “I really appreciate you putting up with my shit. I’m a really shitty person when I’m sober. And when I’m drunk.”

 

  Shane slowly slid over to him, the two meeting in the middle of the couch. He moved close enough to invade Ryan’s personal space, but not enough to actually touch him.

 

  “You’re not a shit person.” Shane told him. “Well maybe a little, but I’m a shit person too. I mean you made the first move every time. I never really knew what do with that.”

 

  “And here you are teaching me to get rid of heteronormative bullshit!” Ryan met his eyes and gave him a smile.

 

  Shane smiled back and knocked his knee against Ryan’s.

 

  “And so the student became the teacher.” He added lamely with a chuckle, the tenseness starting to ease around them.

 

This went on for a few more minutes as they eased back into their playfulness, and just like the many times before Shane found himself drawn to Ryan. By time the first kiss of the night happened it was Shane’s hand on Ryan’s waist to pull him closer, and Ryan’s hand on Shane’s thigh. There was no longer any boundary crossing between them, technically, they just kind of got expanded in the moment. And Shane knew that Ryan was happy with that, that walls were finally torn down.

**Author's Note:**

> Tbh I ship Shane and Sara more than Ryan/Shane but the fanfics of the boys inspired me to write some of them.  
> Also Shane really did make a video talking about a bunch of queer men dressed in leather and I love that he made it so much. It's got the weirdest and most classic Shane intro ever. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezV_-MkgGvg
> 
> Thanks for reading


End file.
